Be sure to include your name, daytime phone number, address, name and phone number of legal next-of-kin, method of payment, and the name of the funeral home/crematory to contact for verification of death.

Senior homes to open on west side

Gracious Senior Living at Bethel House plans to open its first two west Wichita home-plus homes in mid-September, with more being built west and east.

The new homes are part of an overall business expansion for Bethel House, a Wichita health care company that started about five years ago. The expansion includes more training in related fields and a new cooking facility.

The two new Gracious Senior Living homes are in the final stages of construction at 551 S. Holland, near Kellogg and Ridge Road. Each 4,000-square-foot home has eight bedrooms around central kitchen and living areas.

Eventually, the 10-acre site will have 28 of the homes, said Misti Stephen, director of marketing for Gracious Senior Living. A clubhouse will be built for every four homes.

A smaller site at 2020 N. Broadmoor, near 21st Street and Rock Road, will eventually have eight homes. The first should open in late October.

Home-plus homes are designed to allow people to age in place, from the time they need assisted living until the end of life, Stephen said. Each home will have a maximum of eight residents; some of the bedrooms in each home can be configured to accommodate couples, but the homes still will be limited to eight people. The homes have 24-hour staffing.

Bethel House's first venture in residential care was converting an existing home at 1316 N. Charlotte into a home-plus home.

In addition to residential care, Bethel House has started several other companies under its umbrella.

About a year ago, it opened Bethel House Training Institute, and work already is under way to add on to its classroom space at Office This, at 3825 E. Harry.

Stephen said the training institute will add new courses to expand the fields of training it offers. It now has certified nurse assistant, certified medication assistant and home health aide training. The new classes are expected to begin next year.

Bethel House is about to open Taste and See Everyday Gourmet, also at Office This.

The Everyday Gourmet part of the operation will offer prepackaged meals for delivery or pickup. The Taste and See part will offer classes for children or adults; it also will offer parties.

An open house is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 16; parties for early October already are being booked, Stephen said.

Bethel House also operates Royal Chariot Transportation, which provides nonemergency medical transportation.

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